Karla
A female given name from the Germanic languages, masculine equivalent Karl.
Every Karla since 1915 — 91,895 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Karla
Karla is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #803 in 2025 with 340 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1915, 91,895 American babies have been named Karla. Its peak came in 1964, when 2,066 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Karla stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Karla year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 340 | #803 | — | — |
| 2024 | 385 | #732 | — | — |
| 2023 | 398 | #711 | — | — |
| 2022 | 425 | #689 | — | — |
| 2021 | 411 | #701 | — | — |
| 2020 | 420 | #676 | — | — |
| 2019 | 427 | #681 | — | — |
| 2018 | 476 | #628 | — | — |
| 2017 | 553 | #557 | — | — |
| 2016 | 554 | #562 | — | — |
| 2015 | 617 | #511 | — | — |
| 2014 | 621 | #504 | — | — |
| 2013 | 647 | #475 | — | — |
| 2012 | 761 | #412 | — | — |
| 2011 | 910 | #353 | — | — |
| 2010 | 989 | #325 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,116 | #298 | 6 | #11,728 |
| 2008 | 1,421 | #243 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,581 | #219 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,656 | #208 | 6 | #11,356 |
| 2005 | 1,716 | #203 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,749 | #196 | 8 | #8,540 |
| 2003 | 1,780 | #179 | 5 | #11,839 |
| 2002 | 1,840 | #175 | 9 | #7,347 |
| 2001 | 1,699 | #193 | — | — |
| 2000 | 1,587 | #203 | 5 | #11,305 |
| 1995 | 1,182 | #241 | 8 | #6,687 |
| 1990 | 1,002 | #276 | 13 | #4,288 |
| 1985 | 902 | #278 | 12 | #3,693 |
| 1980 | 1,026 | #251 | 8 | #4,730 |
| 1975 | 1,013 | #242 | — | — |
| 1970 | 1,634 | #196 | 5 | #5,092 |
| 1965 | 1,804 | #188 | 10 | #2,695 |
| 1960 | 1,655 | #206 | 5 | #4,334 |
| 1955 | 1,205 | #234 | — | — |
| 1950 | 592 | #319 | — | — |
| 1945 | 319 | #397 | — | — |
| 1940 | 137 | #592 | — | — |
| 1935 | 38 | #1,148 | — | — |
| 1930 | 10 | #2,947 | — | — |
| 1925 | 10 | #3,238 | — | — |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,353 | — | — |
| 1915 | 7 | #3,615 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Karla
- Karla Souza Actor · b. 1985
- Karla Homolka Extremist · b. 1970
- Karla Álvarez Actor · 1972–2013
- Karla Avelar Social activist · b. 1978
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Karla mean?
A female given name from the Germanic languages, masculine equivalent Karl.
How popular is the name Karla in 2025?
Karla ranked #803 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 340 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Karla?
91,895 babies have been named Karla in the United States since 1915, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Karla most popular?
Karla peaked in 1964, when 2,066 newborns received the name.
Is Karla a boy or girl name?
Karla is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Karla rising or falling?
Karla is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Karla?
Well-known people named Karla include Karla Souza (actor), Karla Homolka (extremist), Karla Álvarez (actor).